Floor and centering.



No. 790,413. PATENTED MAY 23, 1905.

W. N. WIGHT & F. E. TOWNSEND.

FLOOR AND GBNTERING. APPLIGATION FILED HAB.4\.1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

FIG, I;

i I FINVENTORS: 6- Jowmmw,

No. 790,413. PATENTED MAY 23, 1905. I

W. N. WIGHT & F. E. TOWNSEND.

' FLOOR AND OENTERING.

APPLIOATION rump MAE'.4.1903. V.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTORS:

WITNESSES:

Y UNITED STATES Patented June 23, 1905.

PATENT OEEIC WILLIAM N. WIGHT, OF NEW YORK, AND FRED E. TOWNSEND, OF

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

FLOOR AND C E NTERING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,413, dated May 23, 1905.

Application filed March 4, 1903. Serial No. 146,095.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM N. WIGHT,-

' Floors and Oenterings, of which the following illustrating still another embodiment.

is a specification.

Our invention aims to provide certain improvements in centerings for floors, and especially in centerings the principal part of which remains permanently in position, and in a certain style of floor constructed in combination with such centering.

Our invention rovides certain advantages set forth in detai hereinafter.

The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section showing the centering in course of erection. Fig. 2 is a transverse section showing at the left the centering in place ready for the laying of the floor and at the right showing the floor in j place with certain temporary portions of the centering removed. Fig. 3 is a section of the construction illustrated in Fig. 2, the lane of section being at right angles to that 0 Fig. 2. Figs. 4 and 5 are sections at right angles to each other, illustrating another style of centering embodying the inventon. Figs. 6 and 7 are sections at right angles to each other, Fi s. 8 and 9 are sections at right angles to ea ch other, illustrating still another embodiment. Figs. 10, 11, 12, and 13 are perspective views of certain details.

One of the principal defects of the centering now in common use and consisting of boards supported at the level of the base of the floor, their supports being either above or below, is their interference with the building of partitions. These boards have to remain in place until the concrete has set, and the delay occasioned is often very annoying and eX- pensive. This is especially the case in cold weather, when the concrete sets very slowly, SO that the builders of the partitions have to wait weeks before the centering can be removed and the partitions erected. Our in vention aims to obviate this disadvantage by providing a centering which, or at least the greater part of which, is left in place perma nently and is such as to permit the immediate building of partitions.

An important feature of the invention is the provision of temporary supports which carry the portion of the centering upon which the floor rests directly, these temporary supports consisting, preferably, of removable supporting-bars. Preferably these supportingbars are hung from removable hooks attached to the upper portions of the floor-beams. In its preferred form the fioor-supporting portion of the centering is a thin flexible fabric, such as ordinary wire-cloth, which does not interfere with the building of the partitions close up to the under side ofthe oor, this fabric being supported at intervals by the removable supporting-bars referred to and being also preferably supported at intermediate points by other removable means.

Referring to the embodiments of the invention illustrated, the floor-supports are shown in the form ofthe usual I-beams A,

which at their ends are carried by deeper I- beams B, commonly called girders. A simple method of erecting the centeringconsists in laying temporary beams O across the floor-beams A at considerable intervals and supporting from such beams O a board D in approximatelythe middle of the bay between two floor-beams A. Upon these the transverse supporting-bars E are laid. These bars are arranged at such a height, as shown, as to permit the building of the partition clear up to the base of the floor, so that it is not necessary to remove them when it is derary supports E will be capable of removal that is to say, there will be no partitions interfering. These bars E are of less length than the span between the supports, as indicated in Fig. 3. WVhile the bars E are held in place on the board D, the permanent fioorsupporting portion of the centering, comprising thin wire-cloth F, preferably of sufficiently fine mesh to retain the fresh concrete, is laid thereon. The body of the wirecloth F is on a level with the bottoms of the supports E, and they extend upward and over these supporting-bars, so that when these supporting-bars are withdrawn the sheet of wire-cloth has vertical rib portions F, Fig. 3, giving it a certain degree of stiffness. According to the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 after the wire-cloth F is in place we introduce a reinforcing fabric G, supporting it directly on the supporting-bars E above the wire-cloth. Any suitable reinforcing fabric may be used in this way. That which we illustrate is formed in long sheets of approximately the width of the bay between the fioorbeams, so as to permit the ready setting in place of a large area of fabric and of flooring in one continuous structure, and is reinforced by bending over its longitudinal edges in the manner fully described in the application of William N. Wight, filed July 9, 1902, Serial No. 114,868. Removable means are provided between the supporting-bars E for supporting the wireelothF intermediate of the bars. This feature, as specifically illustrated in Fig. 2, is adopted from the application of Wight, above referred to. They may consist, for example, of short rods H below the wire-cloth between the supporting-bars and wired to intermediate portions of the reinforcing fabric G by a wire J, which is twisted, so as to pull the fabric G down taut and at the same time to hold up the Wire-cloth F horizontally. When the structure thus far described is complete, or before the laying on of the reinforcing fabric G, the hangers which are to suspend the transverse supporting-bars E may be set up and attached to the supporting-bars and the board D and beam 0 may be withdrawn.

The means illustrated for suspending the bars E are applicable to a variety of structures other than those specifically shown. They comprise removable hooks attached to the upper portions of. the floor-beams and from which the bars are suspended. The hooks K have one end L extending outward from the floor-beam, so that the hangers M, shown as simple wire loops, extend inward from the ends of the bars E, and thus avoid any tendency to slip off the ends of such bars. For use with the ordinary I-beams illustrated the hooks K have their ends N opposite the portions L bent inward to fit under an upper flange of the I-beam. The extension of the portion L outward from the I-beam not only makes a more secure point of suspension for the supporting-bars E, but also facilitates the removal of the hook K, since the latter in be ing removed must turn at first about the end of the portion N, and if the portion L were directly vertical this would be difiicult. portion L should be depressed below the level of the top of the beam, as shown, but not so much as to interfere with the ready removal of the hook. The centering is then complete, and it is only necessary to lay the concrete and ram it properly. The concrete cannot pass through the wire-cloth, the meshes of the latter being too fine; but it passes to some extent into the cloth, so as to bind the two firmly together and so that the wire-cloth forms, in eflect, a portion of the floor at the level of the base thereof. As soon as the floor has been laid the intermediate supports ll may be removed, the wire J being cut or untwisted for the purpose, and then remaining as in the right-hand portion of Fig. 2 to tie the wire-cloth and the reinforcing fabric together. When the concrete has had time to set, either before or after the completion of the partitions, such supporting-bars E as are not interfered with by the partitions may be removed by cutting or untwisting the hangers M at their lower portions and letting down the bars. The hooks K may be removed by cutting the hangers M above the concrete. We thus save the principal parts of the centering-namely, the supportingbars and hooks, the only special parts-and we leave in place only the wire-cloth, which by reason of the ribbed portions F and by reason of its intimate connection with the concrete serves, indeed, to reinforce the latter along the plane of its base, where the greatest tensile strain comes. What was originally the floor-supporting portion of the centering and was supported by extraneous means is finally an intimate part of the floor and supported by its intermeshing adhesion to the concrete.

The construction described may, as stated, be modified in a variety of ways. Figs. 4 and 5 show other systems of supporting the permanent floor-supporting wire fabric. In this embodiment of the invention the transverse supporting-bars E are flanged, ordinary T-bars being suitable for the purpose. The Wire-cloth F extends over the bars, as in the previously-described construction. The intermediate portions of the wirecloth, however, are supported also indirectly from the flanges of the transverse bars by suitable meansresting on such flangessuch means, for example, being boards 0 or rods P or the like. In this construction the wire-cloth may be supported more uniformly than in the prevous construction, and the construc tion is also adapted for floors without embedded reinforcing fabric or with any style and arrangement of embedded reinforce. The transverse bars E may be supported by hooks K and hangers M, as previously described, or by any other suitable means. The wire-cloth F in this case (and also in the construction of Fig. 3) may have its edges ex- The tending upward over the lower flanges of the floor-beamsA, as illustrated in Fig. 5, and the support'at these edges, with the addition of the stifli'ness of the ribbed portion F, gives it a certain strength to sustain the concrete before it is completely set and permits the early withdrawal of the transverse bars E, the intermediate supports O P, and the hooks K. In this construction also, therefore, there is the saving of the more expensive parts of the centering for reuse, so that the expense for the portion left in the floor is very slight.

The principle of Figs. 4 and 5 may be applied also to centerings which are altogether temporary-that is to say, which do not include any floor-supporting portion to be left in place permanently. As shown, for example, in Figs. 6 and 7, the transversebars may be in the form of shallow T-beams E. of only the depth of the intermediate supports 0, which rest on the flanges of the transverse bars. For the usual case, in which the base of the floor is on a level with the base of the I-beams, the bars E will be arranged with their upper edges in the plane of the base of the I-beams. If desired, the bars E may be of sufficient length to extend continuously under one or more I-beams. These bars may be set in place first upon temporary supports Q and thenup in the middle by a transverse beam C across thetops of the I-beams and which carries a lon itudinal bar or beam D in the manner explained in connection with Fig. 1, the bar D holding up the supporting-bars E at their intermediate portions. Before laying the floor the supporting-bars E are preferably suspended at their as suspending the transverse bars E described in connection with Figs. 6 and 7 and upon which are carried the intermediate boards O.

Since it is proposed to use the transverse supporting-bars E E, &c., over and over again, we propose to increase their utility by making them extensible, thus adapting them for any width of span which would-occur in ordinary practice. This extensibility may be obtained, for example, by providing a sleeve S, Fig. 10, of heavy sheet metal bent to fit the bar E and to make a close fit therewith or for the flanged bar E a sleeve S, Fig. 11, bent to slide over the flanged portion of the bar. Various other extension devices might be adopted, but those described'are simple and cheap and effective.

for use in connection with almost any style of centering is the structure. illustrated in Fig. 12, in which a number of supports 0, consisting of boards of lumber or plaster-board or the like, are flexibly connected together, as by means of a cable T, connected by staples U or otherwise to the boards. Such a structure facilitates transportation of the centering and by keeping a large group of supports in one bundle avoids the losses of individual boards, which are common. A similar structure is shown in Fig. 13, in which bars adapted for similar purposes to the boards 0 are connected by a flexible cable T and spaced apart from each other.

The structures illustrated in Figs. 6 to 9 are 7 equally adapted for use in combination with a permanent floor-supporting fabric. For example, the wire-cloth fabric described may be laid directly thereon and with or without ribs, such as F, and will become so enmeshed with the concrete as to remain in place after the withdrawal of the supports E and 0.

Though we have described with great particularity of detail certain embodiments of our invention, yet it is to be understood that like, comprising in combination a permanent floor-supporting portion adapted to retain the fresh concrete and on which the base of the floor rests, and removable supportingbars for said floor-supporting portion.

3. A centering for floors, ceilings and the like, comprising in combination a floor-supporting portion on which the base of the floor rests, supporting-bars for said floor-supporting portion, and hangers for said bars extending upward and obliquely inward from the ends of said bars.

4. A centering for floors, ceilings and the like, comprising in combination a floor-supporting portion on which the base of the floor rests, supporting-bars for said floor-supporting portion, removable hooks attached to the upper portions of the floor-beams and from which said bars are suspended.

5. A centering'for floors, ceilings and the like, comprising in combination a floor-supporting portion on which the base of the floor rests, supporting-bars for said floor-support- ITO ing portion, removable hooks attached to the upper portions of the floor-beams and from which said bars are suspended, said hooks having one end bent inward to fit under an upper flange of the I-beam, an intermediate portion extending across the top of said flange, and the opposite end extending down- Ward and outward to facilitate removal of the hook.

6. A structure for use in centerings, comprising a series of supports adapted to be arranged horizontally one alongside of another and having its adjacent members directly and flexibly connected together.

7. A centering for floors, ceilings or the like, comprising in combination a floor-supporting portion on which the base of the floor rests, and supporting-bars for said floor-supporting portion and sleeves adapted to engage the main portions of said bars to form extensions thereof.

8. A centering for floors, ceilings and the like, comprising in combination removable supporting-bars, a flexible floor-supporting portion resting directly on and supported by said bars at intervals, and means between said bars for supporting said flexible portion intermediate of the bars.

9. A centering for floors, ceilings and. the

like, comprising in combination removable supporting-bars, a flexible floor-supporting portion resting directly on and supported by said bars at intervals, and removable means between said bars for supporting said flexible portion intermediate of the bars.

10. A centering for flooring, ceilings and the like, comprising in. combination flanged supporting-bars, a flexible floor-supporting portion resting on and supported by said bars, and means resting on the flanges of said bars for supporting said flexible portion intermediate of the bars.

11. A centering for floors, ceilings and the like, comprising in combination removable supporting-bars, a flexible lloor-supporting fabric extending between said bars and bent upward and over said bars to form ribs in said fabric.

12. In a floor or ceiling in combination, floor-supports, concrete extending between said floor-supports, and a llcor-supporting fabric adapted to retain the concrete when fresh intimately united with and supported by the base portion of saidconcrete, and having ribbed portions at intervals.

In witness whereof we have hereunto signed our names in the presence of two subscribing witnesses \VILLIAM N \VlGll'l. FRED I TOWNSEND.

lVitnesses:

Doumoo A. UsINA, FRED VVnrrE. 

